I imagine
GENERAL
Mayowa Ojo
6/10/20262 min read
It’s Christmas Eve and I try to reflect on the very first Christmas.
My reflection is not based on the controversy surrounding the time of our Lord’s birth – summer, winter or rainy season – as long as He was born!
I try to imagine what the atmosphere in heaven must have been like at the time.
I imagine God shaking his legs in an almost nervous anticipation: NOTHING can go wrong, He muses.
I imagine baby Jesus say, “It’s time to be born; time for the fulfillment of Scripture and soon the salvation of mankind.”
While Mary and Joseph search frantically for a place to be delivered, I imagine God at work, ordering their steps to the very manger He had in mind from the get-go. He can hear Joseph's thoughts about how the saviour of the world can't find a decent place to be delivered. Rather than get upset, God smiles because He has a plan. He always did - always does.
Logically a King as God, the Prince of Peace, deserved a much better place to be born than a manger but then, God isn’t exactly your ‘King next door’! He is simply … God – unquestionable, unfathomable, immutable God.
I imagine the Holy Spirit pacing the corridors of Holiness as He thinks: “Another phase of mankind is about to birth. After this phase, mine is next. But without this phase, mine cannot come.”
I imagine the angels closest to the throne of God take their turns to go outside. One by one, they go outside and scream their lungs out in gladness and inexpressible joy; only to return appearing calm before God’s throne.
Like the angels near the Throne, other angels are flexing their wings in frenzy. For the first time in eternity, they are about to behold the face of God, albeit in flesh.
Uncontrollably, they are shouting and singing praises to the King of kings.
“Joseph!” Mary screams as he lays her on some hay. Mary is pushing and Joseph is looking. He is doing things he’s not experienced in but somehow, he’s doing them.
I imagine Jesus give Mary strength rather than sap it as He makes his debut.
As baby Jesus’ head appears, I imagine Joseph stifle a scream while Mary prays for even more strength.
I imagine the angels falling and again, climbing over each other in a bid to behold the Lord.
I imagine God take a front seat at seeing what He Himself looks like, in flesh!
I imagine agents from the kingdom of darkness watch helplessly from about a thousand miles. Any step closer and they’d be history because of the unimaginably impressive heavenly turn out of angels and overflow of God’s presence.
Beyond the naked eye, I imagine all of Bethlehem washed in a sea of shimmering glory.
All of a sudden, there is a palpable silence in all the universe and time stands still. Then … the cry of baby Jesus breaks the silence; literally and figuratively.
Finally, the Word becomes flesh.
I imagine the cry of baby Jesus to be a Victory chant; a chant that summons all of heaven’s angels to sing.
For the very first time, the Hallelujah Chorus is rendered.
I imagine the angels sing a Hallelujah Chorus that they’d been rehearsing for more than a century. The arrangement of the vocals is beyond human comprehension. Instruments that have never been played on earth are employed.
I imagine a Hallelujah Chorus so heavenly that Handel’s version, grand as it is, sounds like a nursery rhyme.
I imagine the heavenly skies light up with heaven’s version of fireworks and angelic shouts that echo through the milky way.
Finally, I imagine God turn the hour-glass on His desk upside down as He says, “Let the countdown to salvation begin.”
And all of Creation says, “So be it.”
I imagine …